Smoky Tea Infused Bloody Mary

As Labor Day is coming up this weekend, I thought it would be nice to talk about a great drink for the morning of or after your celebration. As many already know, the traditional Bloody Mary is made with tomato juice, spices and vodka. But sometimes we don’t want, don't drink or can’t have the vodka especially if we have things we need to do the rest of the day. What do we do then? Drink a Virgin Mary without the Vodka?

Virgin Mary’s are too thick

The reason why most Bloody Mary’s have Vodka in them is that they are too thick otherwise. It goes from being a nice, hearty drink to almost a meal if served without alcohol. So what we need to do is find a way to thin out the tomato juice without adding alcohol. And as I am sure you have guessed by now, the solution to this problem is tea!

Lapsang Souchong thins out the tomato juice perfectly

Not only does Lapsang thin out the beverage, but it adds a wonderful smoky flavor that people usually use Worcestershire sauce for. Here is a recipe for an amazing alcohol free Bloody Mary that will be as delicious and satisfying as the original.

What you need (makes 3 servings)

2 cups (8oz) Tomato Juice chilled

A few dashes of Tabasco Sauce

A dash of Worcestershire Sauce (doesn’t need much because the Lapsang is already smoky)

1 Teaspoon Celery Salt

1 Teaspoon Fresh Horseradish

1 heaping Teaspoon Lapsang Souchong

Boiling Water

Celery Stalk for Garnish

How to make it

Brew the tea leaves in a teapot using boiling water for 5 minutes

Strain the tea and let cool

Blend the tea with the Tomato Juice, Tabasco, Worcestershire, Celery Salt and Horseradish

Pour over ice, add celery stalk and serve

One final note

Please add your favorite fixings to this recipe. I personally like to add a bit of pepperoncini and olives if I am in the mood. Or sometimes I add Siracha instead of Tabasco or use Clamato Juice instead of tomato. But, even if you follow this recipe to the letter, you may enjoy it so much that you want to make one on a random weekday during the morning. And why not? It is full of healthy tomato juice, antioxidant rich tea and a touch of spices to get the blood flowing. Enjoy and have a Happy and Safe Labor Day!